Saturday, February 20, 2010

Chem test question and how to troll it - 1

So a recap of this Friday's chem test. I would cover on only this one question, which is the so-called 'discriminatory question' to differentiate the pros from the noobs.
So you are give 4 chim looking equations, involving the reduction of nitrate ion, NO3-, under different conditions to form NO2-, NO2, NO, N2 respectively.
Then, this 'discriminatory question' asks you to name a nitrogen containing compound that has a different oxidation number as all the compounds / ions that is shown in the examples.
So to analyse this question, we must first find out the oxidation numbers of all the nitrogen containing compounds given in the examples, which is +5 for NO3-, +4 for NO2, +3 for NO2-, +2 for NO, and 0 for N2. Now some people may get stuck after this because they can't think of any other oxidation numbers nitrogen can have. If that is the case, use your knowledge on what you have learnt, brainstorm for all the nitrogen containing compounds and you will find the answer.
As a matter of fact, the remaining oxidation numbers of nitrogen that can be used are: +1, -1, -2 and -3. But mainly the answer comes from +1 and -3.
Examples of the non-trolling answers: N2O (+1), NH3 (-3, bang your head on the wall mortals) any NH4+ compounds, any N3- compounds, any compounds with NH2- (amines, urea). As a matter of fact I wrote Na3N, because I know it's correct, I don't want to look noob by writing NH3 and because Na3N looks cool.
So now proceed to how to troll the question. There are mainly 2 different methods involved.
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Method 1:
Write a compound where nitrogen has 2 different oxidation number, one which is acceptable and one which is already in the examples given.
Of course the result would be the teacher marking you wrong because there is one oxidation number of nitrogen in the compound you provided that already appeared in the example. So no matter how much you bitch and whine about how the other oxidation number is correct, it's still considered as wrong.
Examples: NH4NO3 (ammonium nitrate) and possibly [Cu(NH3)4](NO3)2 (tetraamine copper (II) nitrate?)
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Method 2:
Give a random spam of organic compounds involving nitrogen which (perhaps) even you didn't know what the hell it is.
But never mind it's for tormenting your chem teacher who is marking the paper. Because he / she can't be sure that such compound does not exist, so he / she will be forced to check the web for that compound, and also he /she would have to calculate the oxidation number of that compound. So it's for giving teacher plenty of trouble.
But most likely you would be wrong, especially if the compound contains nitrate in it. But it's for the lulz anyway.
Examples: C3H5N3O6 / C3H5(NO3)3 - your teacher would mark this wrong immediately if you wrote it in the second form because it's too obvious, anyways it's nitroglycerin. C22H30N6O4S - that's sildenafil citrate aka viagra, don't bother to calculate what's the oxidation number, maybe you can scrap a tick?

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